In yet another round of scattered thunderstorms, downbursts occurred across much of Northeast Kansas, causing some damage to residences, trees, and outbuildings.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS TOP wrote it up.
In yet another round of scattered thunderstorms, downbursts occurred across much of Northeast Kansas, causing some damage to residences, trees, and outbuildings.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Topeka, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 25, 2:08 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 308 PM CDT WED JUL 25 2012 .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM FORECAST (TODAY AND THURSDAY)... AT 19Z WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATED BROAD ANTICYCLONIC FLOW OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN QUADRANT OF THE CONUS. ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THIS BROAD MID LEVEL RIDGE S-SELY ON SHORE FLOW HAS ALLOWED DECENT MOISTURE TO PUSH NORTHWARD FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW AT THE SURFACE ASSOCIATED WITH A SURFACE LOW OVER EASTERN MINNESOTA HAS ALLOWED SOME OF THAT MOISTURE FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TO ADVECT INTO FAR EASTERN KANSAS. GIVEN THE SWLY ORIENTATION OF THE SURFACE FLOW MOST OF THIS MOISTURE WILL EITHER MIX OUT DUE TO VERY HIGH MIXING LEVELS OR BE SHUNTED OFF TO THE EAST. WITH TDS REMAINING IN THE LOWER TO MID 60S ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA HEAT INDEX VALUES HAVE REMAINED RELATIVELY CLOSE TO THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURES...IN THE LOWER TO MID 100 DEGREE RANGE. ALOFT UPPER AIR ANALYSIS ALSO INDICATES A FAIRLY POTENT H5 TROUGH LOCATED OVER SOUTHERN CANADA. THIS TROUGH WILL REMAIN STEADY STATE WHILE IT DIVES SOUTHEASTWARD TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES REGION. AS THE TROUGH PUSHES SOUTHEAST IT WILL DRAG A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA...AND POSSIBLY PROVIDE ENOUGH UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT FOR THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPMENT LATER TODAY. SURFACE ANALYSIS ALSO INDICATES A WELL DEFINED COLD FRONT CURRENTLY LOCATED ON A LINE FROM OMAHA TO HILL CITY TO LIBERAL. THIS COLD FRONT HAS MADE FAIRLY LIMITED PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS THE PARENT LOW BECOMES MORE ELONGATED FROM SW TO NE THROUGH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND KANSAS. NONETHELESS MODELS PROG THIS COLD FRONT TO EVENTUALLY ENTER THE FORECAST AREA AROUND 00Z TONIGHT...WHICH WILL BRING ADEQUATE FORCING FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT...ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT CONVECTIVE INHIBITION IS VIRTUALLY ZERO ACROSS THE AREA...DUE TO STRONG DAYTIME HEATING AHEAD OF THE FRONT. 12Z SOUNDING AT TOP WHEN ALTERED FOR AFTERNOON CONDITIONS AT THE SURFACE INDICATES NEARLY 2000 J/KG OF INSTABILITY...HOWEVER THE WIND PROFILE IN THE LOWER AND MID ATMOSPHERE IS VIRTUALLY UNIDIRECTIONAL AND LACKS SPEED SHEAR...THEREFORE EXPECT ANY THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TO BE PULSY IN NATURE RATHER THAN LONG LIVED. GIVEN THE VERY STEEP LOW AND MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES...AS WELL AS THE STRONG T/TD DEPRESSION AT THE SURFACE INVERTED-V SOUNDINGS RESULT FOR THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. THIS ENVIRONMENT...CHARACTERIZED BY THE DRY LOW LEVELS AND DCAPE VALUES AROUND 1500 J/KG...WILL BE VERY CONDUCIVE TO SHORT LIVED POP UP THUNDERSTORMS WHICH WILL COLLAPSE QUICKLY AND BRING ISOLATED AREAS OF STRONG GUSTY WINDS. THE PERIOD IN WHICH WINDS WILL BE THE BIGGEST THREAT WILL BE FROM APPROXIMATELY 21Z (THE BEGINNING OF THE CONVECTION WINDOW) AND 01Z...WHEN THE BOUNDARY LAYER WILL BEGIN TO COOL AND A STABLE LAYER IN THE LOWEST FEW HUNDRED FEET WILL HELP DISSIPATE THE DOWNWARD MOMENTUM OF ANY COLLAPSING THUNDERSTORM. AREAL COVERAGE OF THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED...AT BEST. AS OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES INTERACT AND BETTER FORCING ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT AND THE UPPER WAVE APPROACH THE AREA...LIKELY AROUND SUNSET OR EVEN LATER AREAL COVERAGE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY INCREASE FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. ONCE THE BOUNDARY LAYER BECOMES MORE DECOUPLED AFTER DAYTIME HEATING COMES TO AN END THE WIND THREAT SHOULD DIMINISH AND NON-SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN WILL BECOME THE PRIMARY THREAT. EXPECT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO RESIDE PRETTY CLOSE TO THE FRONT AS IT PUSHES THROUGH THE AREA OVERNIGHT GRADUALLY DIMINISHING PRECIP CHANCES FROM WEST TO EAST BY THURSDAY MORNING. FOR THURSDAY KEPT A MENTION OF SCHC/CHC POPS FOR AREAS ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF THE KANSAS TURNPIKE FOR THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. BY NOON PRECIP SHOULD COME TO AN END ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. EXPECT A BIT OF A LULL IN THE HOT TEMPERATURES FOR THURSDAY AS NORTHERLY FLOW WILL ALLOW COOLER AND DRIER AIR TO MOVE INTO THE AREA. ALTHOUGH CONDITIONS WILL BE COOLER DUE TO THE FRONTAL PASSAGE DAYTIME HIGHS FOR THURSDAY ARE STILL EXPECTED TO BE IN THE MID 90S...WHICH IS STILL ABOVE NORMAL...ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. AS A RESULT OF THE MILDER TEMPERATURES ON TAP FOR THURSDAY THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING WILL LIKELY BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 8 PM WEDNESDAY EVENING. LEIGHTON THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...FRONT EXPECTED TO PUSH SOUTH OF THE CWA BY THURSDAY EVENING AS NORTHERN PLAINS SFC RIDGE PUSHES INTO THE REGION. H5 TROF TO PUSH SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA AND SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE TROF SHOULD BEGIN TO CLEAR SKIES OUT BY THURSDAY NIGHT. NORTH TO NORTHEASTERLY WINDS EXPECTED FRIDAY ALONG WITH A WELCOME RELIEF IN TEMPERATURES FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE STATE. HOWEVER...WEAK BOUNDARY STALLED OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE STATE WILL KEEP WINDS MORE SOUTHERLY AND THUS WILL PUSH TEMPERATURES BACK INTO THE LOW 100'S FOR SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CWA. NORTH OF I70 SHOULD SEE HIGHS MAINLY IN THE MID TO UPPER 90'S FRIDAY AFTERNOON. SFC RIDGE PUSHES EAST FRIDAY NIGHT....AS H5 SHRTWV MOVES ACROSS NEBRASKA. 850MB WAA BEGINS FRIDAY NIGHT AND INCREASES THROUGHOUT THE DAY SATURDAY WITH THE DGEX DEPICTING AN 850MB THERMAL RIDGE DIRECTLY OVER THE CWA BY SATURDAY EVENING WITH 28C TO 29C 850 TEMPS OVER THE CWA BY SATURDAY EVENING. CONVECTION WITH ASSOCIATED WITH H5 SHRTWV LOOKS TO REMAIN NORTH OF THE KANSAS BORDER IN NEBRASKA AT WHERE BETTER QG LIFT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT STORMS COULD DEVELOP OVER THE FAR NORTHEAST COUNTIES...BUT LEFT IT DRY AT THIS TIME. EXPECT LOWS IN THE 60'S AND 70'S. SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...FOR THE EXTENDED...CWA REMAINS ON THE EASTERN PERIPHERY OF THE DOMINANT H5 HIGH OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND WESTERN STATES FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS. THIS WILL KEEP NORTHEAST KANSAS IN NORTHWEST FLOW ALONG WITH SEVERAL SHRTWVS TO PASS OVER THE REGION. MODELS SEEM A BIT ROBUST WITH POPCORN CONVECTION...ESPECIALLY GIVEN RECENT TRENDS...SO DECIDED TO SCALE BACK POPS FROM HPC WITH THE BEST CHANCE ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY NORTH OF I70 WITH ONLY SLIGHT CHANCE POPS. OTHERWISE...H5 RIDGE AXIS BUILDS INTO MUCH OF KANSAS EARLY IN THE WEEK WHICH KEEPS THE AREA MAINLY DRY. HIGHS WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE UPPER 90'S TO LOW 100'S WITH HIGHER DEWPOINTS IN THE MID TO UPPER 60'S. && BYRNE .AVIATION... VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS...HOWEVER ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL FORM LATER THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY FORM NEAR AVIATION SITES CREATING A DANGER FOR HEAVY RAIN...DOWNBURSTS...AND QUICKLY SHIFTING WINDS. PRECIP WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AFTER SUNSET...BUT THE DOWNBURST/WIND THREAT WILL ALSO WANE AFTER SUNSET. JL && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 320 PM CDT WED JUL 25 2012 KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-262030- REPUBLIC-WASHINGTON-MARSHALL-NEMAHA-BROWN-CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY- POTTAWATOMIE-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS- WABAUNSEE-SHAWNEE-DOUGLAS-LYON-OSAGE-FRANKLIN-COFFEY-ANDERSON- 320 PM CDT WED JUL 25 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL...NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON...SPREADING ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. SOME SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE A POSSIBILITY DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS...WITH THE PRIMARY THREAT OF MICROBURSTS PRODUCING STRAIGHT LINE DAMAGING WINDS. THE HEAT WAVE WILL CONTINUE TODAY WITH MAXIMUM HEAT INDEX VALUES IN THE 103 TO 108 DEGREE RANGE THIS AFTERNOON. AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING. THE RANGELAND FIRE INDEX IS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE VERY HIGH CATEGORY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM CONCORDIA TO JUNCTION CITY TO LAWRENCE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. AFTERNOON HEAT INDEX VALUES OF OVER 100 DEGREES ARE FORECAST FOR THE BULK OF THE AREA FROM SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. BYRNE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
334 PM CDT WED JUL 25 2012
KSZ024-039-252100-
JACKSON-SHAWNEE-
334 PM CDT WED JUL 25 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWESTERN SHAWNEE AND
SOUTHWESTERN JACKSON COUNTIES...
THROUGH 400 PM CDT...A THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH
ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHWESTERN SHAWNEE AND SOUTHWESTERN JACKSON
COUNTIES. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THIS STORM
IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS
THAT COULD BE AFFECTED INCLUDE DELIA POTAWATOMI RESERVATION.
THE STORM MAY STRENGTHEN OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MINUTES. BE READY TO
TAKE SHELTER IN CASE A WARNING IS ISSUED.
&&
LAT...LON 3910 9596 3911 9597 3911 9600 3912 9601
3913 9599 3914 9600 3912 9602 3915 9604
3923 9604 3936 9590 3919 9570
TIME...MOT...LOC 2034Z 234DEG 19KT 3917 9596
$$ BOWENSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
345 PM CDT WED JUL 25 2012
KSZ039-252115-
SHAWNEE-
345 PM CDT WED JUL 25 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SHAWNEE COUNTY...
THROUGH 415 PM CDT...A THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH
ACROSS PORTIONS OF SHAWNEE COUNTY. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER
RADAR INDICATED THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 50 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT COULD BE AFFECTED INCLUDE
AUBURN...PAULINE...FORBES FIELD...TOPEKA...BILLARD AIRPORT AND
TECUMSEH. MOTORISTS ALONG THE KANSAS TURNPIKE BETWEEN MILE MARKERS
166 AND 188 COULD ALSO BE AFFECTED.
THE STORM MAY STRENGTHEN OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MINUTES. BE READY TO
TAKE SHELTER IN CASE A WARNING IS ISSUED.
&&
LAT...LON 3887 9581 3887 9583 3899 9594 3918 9567
3912 9559 3907 9560 3905 9558 3907 9555
3907 9551 3906 9550 3902 9550
TIME...MOT...LOC 2045Z 236DEG 31KT 3896 9580
$$ BOWENPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
353 PM CDT WED JUL 25 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0343 PM TSTM WND GST 2 NNE ROSSVILLE 39.16N 95.94W
07/25/2012 M53 MPH SHAWNEE KS TRAINED SPOTTER
SPOTTER REPORTED MINOR EAVE DAMAGE TO HOUSE.
&&
BYRNEThe Topeka radar (KTWX), 54 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:23 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
At least 5 residences sustained minor damage from a microburst. Part of a roof was damaged and power linew sere down at 83rd and NW Topeka Boulevard. One home had an enclosed porch collapse, and several trees were damaged.
Emergency Manager reported some powerlines down and tree damage near the intersection of Cedarwood and Kent Road.
A trash container was blown 40 feet in town.
A trained spotter near Seneca reported a 60 mph wind gust.
A trained spotter reported a 65 mph wind gust, with 8 inch tree limbs down.
Two farm buildings were destroyed. Winds were estimated at 65 to 70 mph.
A tree was reported down near Highway 81 and Gold Road.
A trained spotter near Greenleaf measured a 65 mph wind gust.
At a residence at 30th Road and Highway 15 in northern Clay County an 8 inch tree limb was snapped. A metal shed 10 feet by 14 feet was tossed nearly 300 yards across the street, and a wooden swing set was flipped.
A two foot diameter Locust tree was snapped half way up from the base. Elsewhere near Linn a few maple trees had 12 inch limbs broken.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, July 2012
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 395552, 395553, 395548, 395549, 395557, 395550, 395558, 395559, 395554, 395560, 395561, 395555, 395556, 395551.